Brutus Beefcake headlines Okanagan wrestling tour

The Canadian Wrestling Elite (CWE) tour with special guest Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake continues in Kelowna Friday night. The WWE legend has been a main attraction in the CWE’s 10th anniversary tour of 32 events in 32 days, the organization’s new record.

“It’s my first time in these towns,” said Brutus on the difference of this B.C. tour, “Which means it’s more intimate for me and the fans who get an up close and personal experience of the show.”

The tour features a mixture of both experienced and new wrestlers who both attract fans to the tours only second stint in B.C. “The new guys are enthusiastic and athletic, and its great for the game, ” said the 6-foot-4 Brutus, “They’re doing a lot of (stunts) I’ve never done in my career, and they’re just as excited as I was when I first started.”

Tour promoter, and former wrestler, Danny Warren says Canada still loves the old style wrestlers like Brutus because it bridges the gap between the older generation of fans and the new ones.

“Big names bring in fans and they in turn bring in their children who are just becoming fans. We’re about community,” said Warren. “I feel like wrestling is a family sport because it’s becoming less and less about sex and violence, and people understand and appreciate what wrestling is now. It’s OK to be a wrestling fan in 2018.”

With this current 32 event tour, and with past tours, the CWE looks at putting on approximately 100 shows this year.

“No other wrestling companies other than the WWE are doing this amount of shows,” Warren said. “Wrestlers from all over the world want to join the CWE, and that drives the hunger for the sport so we can keep doing shows in smaller arenas.”

After Friday night’s show at the East Kelowna Area, the CWE will continue its 32 event tour with shows in Penticton and Vernon.